


Through Anything

by vanjie_love



Series: Autumn Leaves [12]
Category: RuPaul's Drag Race (US) RPF
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, Medical Procedures, Sick Fic, Surgery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:20:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27536704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanjie_love/pseuds/vanjie_love
Summary: The wedding is just a few weeks away. Brooke is beyond stressed- to the point where she is in physical pain. But she quickly learns that stress is not the problem.
Relationships: Brooke Lynn Hytes/Vanessa Vanjie Mateo
Series: Autumn Leaves [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1942153
Comments: 13
Kudos: 20





	Through Anything

**Author's Note:**

  * For [doctorbuffypotterlock79](https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctorbuffypotterlock79/gifts).



> Thank you for the idea, so this is for you!
> 
> Thank you to campvanjie for the title and for being my favorite.

Brooke Lynn never got sick. She was a fairly healthy person, and for that she was thankful. Especially because her wedding was soon, and if there's ever a time to be healthy, it's when you're marrying the love of your life. But Brooke was an overthinker, and when she started having pains in her side, she figured it was just from the stress of the wedding. It  _ had  _ to be the stress from the wedding. 

So many thoughts were racing through Brooke's head about the wedding. 

_ What if it rains? _

_ What if our dresses don't fit? _

_ What if the flowers aren't the right color? _

_ What if the caterer messes up? _

There were just so many things that could go wrong and Brooke was thinking about all of them. At the same time. 

Brooke was exhausted, the pain was getting worse, she was nauseous, and she was  _ sure  _ she had a fever. But it was all just pre-wedding stress.

It wasn't until she was at work, and the nausea was worse, that she realized something might be wrong. She felt the turning in her stomach and she made it to the bathroom just in time. Brooke  _ hated  _ vomiting and it seemed to make the pain worse. Brooke couldn't handle this. Her skin was on fire and her head was pounding and  _ fuck  _ her stomach hurt! She just needed to lay down for a moment, the tile of the bathroom felt nice and cool on her hot forehead. 

Vanessa was at the grocery store when she got the call. The produce aisle. It was such a mundane, everyday act. She didn't know when she left that morning that she would get the call she got. It was a nightmare come true. 

"I found her on the bathroom floor, barely conscious, the first thing I did was call the squad." Brooke's boss said on the phone, "they're taking her to the hospital, they mentioned her appendix."

It was like Vanessa was underwater. The words felt like they were coming from a million miles away. All she could comprehend was Brooke was sick. She didn't know much when it came to medical, but she knew that inflamed appendix usually meant surgery. She had to go. She had to get there. Brooke was sick and she needed her. 

Vanessa got to the hospital safely. She doesn't know how, she can't even remember the drive. She probably shouldn't have been driving but all she could think about was getting to Brooke. She ran through the double doors and to the ER reception desk. 

"Can I help you?" The girl behind the desk says sweetly. 

How can she be so nice? How can she be so happy? Vanessa doesn't understand, not when the love of her life is somewhere behind those doors.

"Brooke Lynn. Brooke Lynn Hytes. She was just brought in."

The receptionist nods and types on her computer. 

"Are you family?"

"I'm her fi- wife. I'm her wife."

The receptionist nods again, "room ten," she smiles and opens the doors for Vanessa. 

She searches for room 10 and finds it just in time for a nurse to walk out. 

"Are you family?" The nurse asks, blocking the room from view. 

Vanessa nods, "I'm her fiance." 

She decides to be honest with the nurse. 

"Okay," the nurse starts, "well, they've given her some really heavy pain meds so she's pretty groggy. They'll be taking her to surgery soon, but you can go in and sit with her."

_ Surgery? Brooke needs surgery. _

Vanessa walked into the room, the lights were dim and Brooke was pale. 

"Nessa?" Brooke's hoarse voice pulled Vanessa from her thoughts.

"Hey Brookie," Vanessa rushed to the bedside, pulled up a chair, and held her hand, "how do you feel?"

"I'm not feeling anything, Nsssa, they gave me pain meds. You're so beautiful, Ness, I love you. I'm sorry this is happening right before…." Brooke trailed off and let out a few soft snores but then opened her eyes again, "before the wedding." 

Vanessa smiled, "its okay Brookie, you'll be all healed up in time." 

Vanessa pressed a soft kiss to Brooke's forehead as she drifted back out and started to snore again. There was a soft knock on the door and the doctor walked in. For the third time, Vanessa is asked if she is Brooke's family, and for the third time she nods. 

"We are going to be taking her to surgery. She needs her appendix removed," he said, "how long has she been having symptoms? She wasn't able to tell us."

Vanessa's heart is caught in her throat, "I, um, I'm not sure. She never said anything." Her voice was small, quiet. 

How did she not notice that Brooke was sick? 

The doctor nodded and as he was about to leave, Brooke let out a high-pitched whine and sat straight up in bed. She reached for a bucket that was sitting next to her just in time to vomit once more. 

"The pain is worse," she cried as she laid back down, "please…"

The doctor pressed down on different spots on the right side of Brooke's abdomen, and concern painted his face.

"We need to get her to surgery now," he stuck his head out the door and called for the nurse, "I think it's burst, we need to go. Show this young woman where she can wait, we will update when we can." 

And Brooke was gone, being whisked away to the OR, leaving Vanessa behind. 

Vanessa followed the nurse to the waiting room in a foggy haze. She was alone. She hadn't even called Brooke's mom, although there was no way she would be able to come in from Canada, not so close to the wedding. 

_ Nina. _

Nina was Brooke’s best friend, and she actually lived relatively close to the hospital. That’s  _ if  _ she was even home. Vanessa checked the clock. It was close to 5pm. Nina worked for a law firm, surely she’d be off by now. Vanessa pulled out her phone and dialed Nina’s number with shaky hands. Nina picked up on the second ring.

“Vanessa?” Nina’s voice sounded concerned. 

Vanessa  _ never  _ calls anyone but Brooke. 

“Nina,” Vanessa’s voice cracks with emotion, “you gotta come here, Brooke is sick. I’m by myself, Nina, will you come here?”

“Vanessa, calm down, where is ‘here’? Where are you, honey?” Nina’s motherly voice was calming to Vanessa, but just not calming enough.

“Hospital,” Vanessa says, “Brooke is in surgery.” 

With the words being said out loud, Vanessa lets out a few sobs that she had been holding in.

“Oh, V, I’ll be right there. Text me and tell me where you’re at in the hospital.”

Within twenty minutes, Nina was there with a hot chocolate and a hug. Vanessa was thankful.

“So tell me, V, what’s going on?” Nina sat next to Vanessa and rubbed her friends back. 

“Brooke’s appendid- appendat- uh,” Vanessa bit her lip while she thought of the word but Nina saved the day.

“Appendix?”

“Yes! Appendix, that. It blew up or somethin’.” Vansessa was really bad at technical terms sometimes.

But Nina knew what she meant. She knew that it meant that Brooke had appendicitis, and it had ruptured, and that she was in surgery to clean out the infection. She knew that it meant that Vanessa was scared and she needed Nina to keep her grounded. 

"She hasn't been back there long, has she?" Nina asks, leading Vanessa to a seat by one of the windows. 

Vanessa shakes her head, "I called you as soon as they took her. They didn't even tell me how long she would be gone." 

"Well do you want to get some food while we wait?"

Vanessa shakes her head. She's not hungry. 

"Do you….want to try to rest?" Nina was really trying, she can't imagine how Vanessa is feeling right now.

"I don't think I can relax, Miss Nina." 

"Well….we can talk. What did the cats do today?" 

Vanessa's face lightened up, "oh! So Apollo was on the couch and….."

Nina knew she had asked the right question. Vanessa could talk about her babies until she ran out of air, and then she'd take a breath and start all over. 

Brooke was in surgery for one hour and twenty three minutes. That was one hour and twenty three minutes that Vanessa didn't know if her fiancé was going to be okay. 

"Family for Hytes?" A voice rang out, and it didn't reach Vanessa's ears at first.

She had no idea anyone was talking until Nina said something. She jumped up and headed over to where the doctor was calling for her. 

"I'm Hytes," Vanessa says, "I mean, I'm family for Hytes. I'm her family."

"She's in recovery and we are confident we got the appendix and all of the infection out. She should be alright to go home in a couple days." 

Vanessa almost collapsed against Nina and for the first time since she got the call, she felt like she could breathe.

"When can I see her?" Was the first thing Vanessa asked. 

"They're waking her up now and then taking her to her room, you may see her then."

Vanessa nodded, thanked the doctor, and waited with Nina. 

It felt like hours. Vanessa felt like she waited for hours before she finally got the green light to see Brooke. 

Nina didn't want to overwhelm her friends so she hugged Vanessa goodbye and let her go be with her girl. Vanessa wasn't sure how she would ever repay Nina. 

Brooke laid in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. The color was starting to come back to her cheeks but she looked exhausted. She looked like she was counting something. 

"Brookie?" Vanessa called softly.

Brooke looked towards her and her face lit up. 

"Nessa," her voice was still hoarse, "Nessa, you're here."

"I am, B, I've been here the whole time."

Brooke furrowed her brow and stuck out her bottom lip in the cutest pout, "I haven't seen you."

Vanessa let out a soft chuckle, "you were in surgery baby."

"I was takin a nap." A content smile drifted across Brooke's face.

"Yeah, yeah you were." Vanessa walked around and sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair at Brooke's bedside, "you're gonna start feelin better real soon, B, they got you all fixed up."

Brooke rested her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes. 

"All fixed up." She repeated. 

Vanessa thought she was asleep so she pulled out her phone and was typing a quick text to their moms to update them. 

"Nessa," Brooke sighed. 

"Yes Brookie?" 

"I wanna have a baby, let's have a baby. Let's not just  _ have  _ a baby, let's  _ make  _ a baby. We would make the cutest babies."

Vanessa really tried not to laugh but she let out a giggle anyways. She knew that Brooke wouldn't remember this in a few hours. 

"Yeah, B, we would."

"Nessa, we should get a cat though. Let's get a cat. A fluffy, fat cat." Brooke's voice was dreamily.

"Brooke-" 

"Cats are friend-shaped, Nessa. They are, and so are you. You're my best friend, I hope you know that. You're my best friend forever. Bff." 

Tears gathered in Vanessa's eyes. She just loved Brooke so much.

"Okay, Brookie, we will get a friend-shaped cat." Vanessa wasn't even sure what that meant, but Brooke liked the sound of it. 

"I love you, Nessa," Brooke's words were soft and Vanessa was sure that she was close to falling asleep, "I love you."

"I love you too, B," Vanessa sat back in the chair, trying to get comfortable, her left hand in Brooke's right. 

"Come here," Brooke pulled on Vanessa's hand, pulling her forward, "let me hold you."

"Brooke, I- you've got IVs and shit baby."

"Just let me-  _ ouch _ !" Brooke's hand goes towards her abdomen.

"Baby, you gotta be careful. You just had surgery."

"Nessa," Brooke cries, "I just want to hug you."

Vanessa leans down and lays her head on Brooke's chest, who sighs contently and strokes her fiancé's wild mane of curls. Brooke's arms went slack and her breathing evened out and Vanessa knew that Brooke had finally fallen back asleep. She sat back up in her chair and watched Brooke sleep. She needed her to get better, needed her to be around. 

In a few weeks, they'd be in their dresses, walking down the aisle, professing their love in front of their friends and family, and every bump along the way will have been worth it.


End file.
